Folding top for vehicles.



N. HOLDEN.

FOLDING TOP FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED mm, 1914.

Patented July 13; 1915.

INVENTOR WITESSES:

WMWM

BY 2 Arm/WEN HTED s r NEWTON HOLDEN, 015 NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR. TO HOLDEN ONE MAN TOP' QOM PANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FOLDING- I'OP FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July is, rare.

Application filed January 2, 1914. Serial No. 809,962.

citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tops for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding tops for automobiles, particularly tops of this character offering an unobstructed view to the occupants and operable by one person.

The principal object of this invention to provide a folding top comprising a minimum number of partsand having means whereby the joint in the outrigger bow may be automatically locked and unlocked when the top is set up or collapsed.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following detailed description and the features of novelty will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawingillustrating this invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the top as set up "in place. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the top in its folded condition and illustrates in broken lines the position of arts in the process of folding. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental detail view partly in section showing the sleeve as partly beveled at its inner, upper surface adjacent one end and illustrating the manner in which the joint of the forward bow is broken.

Referring in detail to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the top consists of'a main bow 1, suitably pivoted upon the sides of the vehicle. Pivotally fastened to the main bow 1 is a forward how 2 upon which is pivotally mounted an auxiliary bow 3 and an outrigger bow comprlsing portlons 4 and 5 p1votally jointed at a point 6. Slidably mounted upon the forward bow 4, 5, is a sleeve '7. When the top is set up, this sleeve overlaps the joint 6, and thus acts as a locking member for the same. In order to secure automatic movement of the sleeve 7 to lock and unlock the joint 6, I provide a link 8, one end of which is pivotally connected to the bow portion 4. and the other end pivotally connected to the sleeve 7 at which point are also pivotally mounted, an auxiliary bow 9 and a rod 10. The other end of the rod 10 is slidably inserted ina collar 11 which is rotatably mounted upon the forward bow 2,

"the rodbeing provided with a head 12 which normally abuts the collar 11 when the top is set up. It will thus beseen that the rod,

when the top is set up, serves as suspending "means for the part of the top over the outrigger bow, so that reliance is not had upon the strength of the material of the top to' perform that function. l/Vhen the outrigger bow is pushed upward at any point adjacent to the place indicated by the arrow, the link 6 which is normally in alinement with the outrigger bow is raised at its outer end, thus forcing the sleeve to move inwardly and uncovering the break joint; the rod 10 simultaneously moves forward through the collar 11 as indicated in Fig. 2. The joint 6 thus having absolute freedom of movement, the top can i be readily folded by merely pushing the portion 4 of the outrigger bow. The forward bow 2 folds back upon the main bow 1, and the auxiliary bow folding in therebetween; the portion 5 of the forward bow folds downward upon the intermediate bow, the sleeve 7 travels up the portion 5 adjacent the pivotal point of the lat ter upon the forward bow; the rod 10 travels through the collar 11 and assumes a position substantially in alinement with the intermediate bow; the portion 4 of the forward bow,

folds over all; the auxiliary bow 9 folds in between the bow 4 and theintermediate bow and the link 8 assumes a position almost in alinement with the outrigger bow portion 5, all as shown in Fig. 2. In order to facilitate the upward bending of the forward bow 4: to cause the sleeve to recede and expose the joint, I preferably bevel the interior surface of the sleeve at the edge 13; thus the bow portion 4 may be bent upwardly a suflicient distance to bring the link 8 into operative position with respect to the sleeve 7 before the joint is uncovered by the latter, and further bending of the bow will cause the sleeve to recede, fully uncovering the joint and permitting its free operation thereafter.

It will thus-be seen that I have provided a collapsible automobiletopwhich is operable by one person, is composed of a minimum of parts and which affords automatic means of simple construction to" lock the parts of the top into rigid position when the latter is set up and to automatically unlock the parts by the mere upward movement of the outrigger bow when it is desired to collapse the too.

ing for causing the sleeve to automatically unlock the joint.

2. A folding top for vehicles comprising a main how, a forward bow, an outrigger bow extending from the forward bow, said outrigger bow having a joint intermediate its ends, a sleeve slidably mounted upon the outrigger bow and adapted to normally overlap the joint, and means for causing the sleeve to automatically expose the joint comprising a link pivoted atone end upon the sleeve and at the other end upon the outrigger bow.

3; 'A folding top for vehicles comprising a main bow, a forward bow pivoted thereon, an auxiliary and outrigger bow pivoted upon the forward how, a sleeve mounted upon the outrigger how, the latter having a joint intermediate its ends, said sleeve normally overlapping the joint, a link having one end pivoted to the sleeve and the other end pivoted to the outrigger bow for automatically causing the sleeve to cover and uncover the joint and means connecting the sleeve with the forward bow for suspending the outrigger bow.

4. A folding top for vehicles comprising a main bow, a forward bow pivotally mounted thereon, an auxiliary bow and outrigger bow pivotally mounted upon the forward bow, the outrigger bow having a joint intermediate its ends, a sleeve slidably mounted upon the outrigger bow and normally overlapping the joint, a link having one end connected to the sleeve and the other end connected to the outrigger bow for causing the sleeve to automatically cover and uncover the joint,

an auxiliary bow pivoted upon the sleeve bow mounted upon the forward how, the outrigger bow being provided with a joint intermediate its ends, a sleeve slidaloly mounted upon the outrigger bow and overlapping the joint, a link having one end connected to I the outrigger bow for securing automatic movement of the sleeve upon the forward bow, an auxiliary bow pivotally mounted upon the sleeve and means for suspending the outrigger bow from the forward how when the top is set up, comprising a collar pivotally mounted upon the forward bow and a rod slidable within the collar and provided with a head, the other end of the rod being connected to the sleeve.

6. A folding top for vehicles comprising a main bow, a forward bow pivotally mounted thereon, an auxiliary bow and an outrigger bow pivotally mounted on the forward bow, the outrigger bow having a joint intermediate its ends, a sleeve slidably mounted upon the outrigger bow and overlapping the joint, a link connecting the sleeve with the forward portion of the outrigger bow for imparting automatic movement to the sleeve upon the latter, said sleeve being beveled at its upper, inner surface adjacent the joint to facilitate the upward bending of the forward portion of the outrigger bow at the beginning of the folding operation.

Signed at New York city, in the county of I New York, and State of New York, this 31st day of December A. D. 1913.

NEWTUN HOLDEN.

Witnesses:

FRANK M. AsHLnY, WM. 1. ConnN. 

